The present invention relates to an electronic control system for a motor vehicle, comprising a controller, an actuator and at least one sensor. The control system can be used, for example, for roll stabilization of motor vehicles.
Roll stabilization, that is to say a reduction in the rotational vehicle movements about the vehicle longitudinal axis, results in a significant improvement in handling and driving comfort. EP 1 362 721 B1 describes an electronic control system for a motor vehicle having a roll stabilization apparatus in the form of divided stabilizers which are each associated with a vehicle axle and of which the stabilizer halves can be rotated in relation to one another by means of an actuating motor in each case. The actuating motors are actuated by the control system, taking into account the lateral acceleration and the driving speed and also the steering angle of the motor vehicle. Each actuating motor has an associated power electronics system comprising a low-level controller and a low-level monitoring logic system, which power electronics system is connected to a central controller by a data bus. The central controller performs superordinate control and divides the stabilization moment, which is required for roll stabilization, between the front and the rear axle of the vehicle.
Controllers are used in many areas of motor vehicle control. They generally operate in accordance with an input-processing-output (IPO) principle. Sensors are provided for input. These sensors determine a physical characteristic variable, such as rotation speed, pressure, temperature etc. for example. This value is compared with a target variable which is input into or calculated in the controller. If the measured value does not correspond to the stored value, the controller adjusts the physical process by actuators, so that the measured actual values again correspond to the setpoint variables. Therefore, the actuators intervene in an ongoing process so as to correct it.
So-called remotely mounted controllers are arranged in the areas of the vehicle in which they are subject to low levels of loading owing to the environmental conditions. This produces a physical separation between the remotely mounted controller and sensors or actuators, this resulting in relatively long data transmission paths which are naturally susceptible to faults. In conventional actuators, the controller, for example when detachably connected to the actuator by means of a plug, cannot independently determine whether the actuator has been replaced or whether a new controller has been trained. As a result of this, incorrect installation in the case of detachable connections between the controller and the actuator cannot be effectively prevented. In the case of systems which do not use releasable connections, such as single-use plugs or welded connections, incorrect installation of the controller and the actuator can be precluded, but the systems have the disadvantage that only the entire unit comprising actuator and controller can be replaced. Separate replacement of only one of the two components is not possible. If actuator-specific data has to be stored in the controller, this actuator-specific data being required for control purposes for example, said actuator-specific data has to be received during actuator production and stored in the controller at the latest during pairing of the control device and the actuator.